


Voice(less)

by gabsmatos



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Drunk Murdoc Niccals, Innocent Stuart "2D" Pot, M/M, Minor Murdoc Niccals/Stuart "2D" Pot, Sad Stuart "2D" Pot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-23 12:35:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14934377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gabsmatos/pseuds/gabsmatos
Summary: What would happen if Stu looses his voice?





	1. Chapter 1

2D was tired. Exhausted to be more exact. From that underwater prison surrounded by that bloody whale. Murdoc was not being the best of the hosts, so to speak. And that cyborg that he insisted on calling "Noodle", made 2D inner burn of scorn and anger. Perhaps in a bit of sadness also not knowing where the real Noodle was. But he held on as if she were alive and well.

Days dragged by, and he could not wait to get out of there. The frequency of his concussions had increased violently and he had to take more painkillers than normal. Murdoc often forgot about this little problem that he himself had caused with that car accident... And as he didn’t order the cyborg to take the medications for him, he usually collapsed on the floor in fetal position with excruciating pain.

After all he was happy to be at least in Murdoc's company. He felt useful to be able to sing for him, al least that hadn’t been taken from him. 2D knew that the voice of the green man was horrible to sing, and knew that he had to “borrow” his so that Murdoc could give life to his lyrics. He couldn’t deny that if it weren’t for the older one he would never have become the front man of a successful worldwide band. It would just be the common Stuart Pot.

The idea of going back to life as an ordinary person wasn’t annoying, quite the opposite. Between this situation and not seeing the sunlight for so long and went back to work somewhere else, the second option seemed more pleasant. But he behaved longing for it to end, for the album to be released and once again they could be a family, a band. No whales and no cyborgs without feelings.

In a random day there were no recordings, 2D was particularly bored ... For a inmate he was being very patient, but the lack of human presence became increasingly unbearable. Murdoc appeared very little, and 2D hated when was fake Noodle that brought his pills. At that time they had forgot his medicine. Stu started to feel an awful pain in his head and could not even yell for help.

It was near dinnertime, and the cyborg for some reason didn’t come down to feed him. Murdoc decided to do it then. He slowly descended the elevator holding a bottle of rum with his usual angry expression. "Noodle" had just run out of battery and he let her charge. In fact he wanted to see the blue haired man, if ihe was okay to record the other day. He had left the lyrics of “Broken” handwriting before with Stu, and needed him to memorize it quickly. Even for an idiot like him it was such an easy task, and 2D had already listened to the whole song.

Arriving at the room where he held him prisoner Murdoc saw a 2D lying with both hands on his head scratching his hair with eyes closed and wet. Beside him was the lyrics of the song on crumpled paper. Was he crying in pain? It didn’t matter he had come for a reason giving the boy his bloody pills.

“Hey, face ache ... Here are your bloody pills. Take it now and try to get better. We have a recording tomorrow.”

2D slowly opened his eyes as if the illumination of the place irritated his deep black eyes. He sat down and took the pills from the older man's hand. A gentle touch of them made him shiver. He missed Murdoc's company when the days were better and he did not need any of this crappy thing. His scent of alcohol was also something that aroused him ... He swallowed all he'd brought, trusting they were the right ones.

"’hank you, Muds ..."

"Have you eaten?"

"No. I'm in too much pain for this. " He closed his eyes again, feeling everything spin and a sickness taking over his stomach.

"But you ‘ave to eat, D."

"I'm fine, Muds." It was almost as if Murdoc cared.

"You know I don’t do this for you, don’t you know, Dents? I just need your bloody voice to sing tomorrow and I can finish writing that damn album."

These words hurt 2D. He really didn’t care. He was only a _tool_ in the hands of the band's founder. He lowered his head but did not allow himself to cry in front of Murdoc, he wasn’t going to give it to him.

"You know I have scattered cameras here. If you feel bad just call, D. "

2D didn’t want to have to wait to feel worse than he already felt to call Murdoc. He wanted him to stay, not leaving him alone with that ... bloody whale. But he didn’t have the guts to ask. He was more afraid to get hit. Physical pain wasn’t a problem for him since he took so many painkillers ... Emotional and psychological pain and hurting ... that don’t seem to heal. In his messed up head he was quite sure that Murdoc hated him.

 

The older man left without saying goodbye, followed by a low 2D glance. Murdoc wasn’t coming back with any food, as 2D haven’t asked for. That particular night was very cold ... It would be very unpleasant to be left alone. He hugged his long legs over his chest and rested his head on his knees, feeling weak and ridiculous. At least the headache was slowly going away, taking place to the familiar sensation of numbness the pills provoked...

Late that night, Murdoc had drunk himself to sleep. This was common to the green man. When the blame for his acts with 2D began to bother him, along with the thoughts about his shitty childhood and the crappy relationship with his father, he drowned it with some good liters of Bourbon. Before going to drink he looked through the camera one last time at the slim blue haired mate.

2D was in the same corner where Murdoc had left him, same position. The only movement was of Stu shoulders, he was probably crying. "Emotional dullard," Murdoc thought, his heart aching and his guts burning with alcohol. He knew the boy didn’t deserve any of the beatings or name-calling he'd received ... He'd never done anything bad with him, quite the opposite. Was he suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? He'd never seen 2D get away from him, get angry, fight back, shout at him ... He'd always bowed his head and let the older man do as he pleased. Why?

He took the cyborg off from the charge and turned to the cameras before going to sleep. The image of Stu crying still haunted his mind. He knew he was like that because of him. 2D stopped crying and when he calmed down he took the sheet with shaking hands and began to read the lyrics... He read slowly as if tasting every word, and after looking up, as if he begged for all of this stop. But it wouldn’t, just not so soon… Stu ran his hand though his hair sighting.

Murdoc felt important to see 2D enjoying something he had written... He knew that Stu didn’t know that there was sound pickup in the internal system. Murdoc had set up so he could just hear when Stu was singing, or even talking with that girly voice of his. It was angelic to hear, he was even envious ... Why hadn’t he been born with the gift of singing?

 

_Broken_

_Our love is broken ..._

 

For some reason the bluish one repeated this part of the song ... Incredulous, Stu didn’t believe that someone like Murdoc could write something so passionate and so sad. It wasn’t his kind of thing. Had he written to someone? Actually it wasn’t love that was broken. _Murdoc was_. He had been born and grown up twisted and broken. Done everything wrong. And hee couldn’t be fixed. He had a bloody destiny that would last until his last days, never ever being loved by anyone. However, his heart overflows with this pure feeling for a soul and a soul only. And Stu didn’t know it’s always been him.

 

"My love is broken ... My ‘ead ... My foolish ‘eart ... My soul ..."

 

2D would say quietly to himself, not knowing that Murdoc could hear him. When he was tired of watching the youngest, he went to sleep as soon as 2D stopped singing and fell asleep as well.

 

Later that night, an event occurred that was at least ... unthinking. A storm fell outside Plastic Beach. Violent waves crashing in the sand, and even the whale was restless. The sea was lit by lightning and thunderous noises could be heard. Strange icy air invaded the lair where 2D stood.

Suddenly the elevator door opened. It was the cyborg with a sinister smile on its lips radiating a green light from inside. She had been possessed by a spirit that ran around the island.

With the clarity and the 2D noises he awoke, startled to see what was in front of him. A paranormal presence was approaching.

"Who are you?"

She did not answer. He just came in quick strides looking directly into the black infinity of 2D's eyes.

"I curse you. You came to disrupt the peace of the island. I'll make you lose what's most important in your life. "

Another glare brightened the room, while Stu remained hypnotized by those green eyes. All he could think was the most important thing in his life was Murdoc ... Before he could scream for help, everything went dark. 2D fainted as soon as the spell was cast. "Noodle" returned to normal and headed back to his master's room as if nothing had happened.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://gabshmatos.tumblr.com)


	2. Curse

Dawn in Plastic Beach. An ordinary day. Murdoc was still asleep, and the cyborgue stood by his side waiting for new orders to go look after Stu. Meanwhile the blue-haired man woke up from his trance, he was dizzy ... What had happened the night before? He felt as if Murdoc had beaten his brain out and his head hurt like never before. In fact it was common for it to hurt in the morning, it was the time of his first pills.

He let out a groan of pain and realized something was wrong. He began to scream. No sound... his vocal chords reverberated with the force which he were using, but everything remained silent. He panicked. 2D had lost his voice, and he didn’t even know why. Murdoc would kill him when he found out, or worse, get him out of the band and outta his life because he was no longer useful... Was just a broken tool.

Breathe. As long as he didn’t find out it would be alright. For awhile. He sat down and waited for breakfast to be served. If cyborg were the one who’d bring it to him it’d be better, he didn’t need to exchange a word with the fake Noodle. Suddenly he remembered with horror that today would be the day of Broken's recording, how could he do it voiceless? When he was about to have an outbreak of anxiety the metallic noise of the elevator made him stop, it was the damn cyborg.

She didn’t answer to many voice commands that weren’t uttered by her master. Then he thanked her for the food and pointed it to his head so she could bring the painkillers for his crisis. In fact beyond them Stu wanted his anxiolytic ... But he had no voice to ask for it. He would have to settle for whatever she brought him.

Cyborg returned and went to wake up Murdoc, only he knew where he hid the pills. The green man who took care of this not to intoxicate 2D, but often used to his advantage, when he wanted him to pass out and not disturb more. 2D was nothing more than a puppet in his hands, and he knew that he had made Stu this senseless.

Murdoc woke up already anger, and with a tremendous hangover. But he had to give the damn pills or his front man would not sing today. Well, if he knew what had happened, 2D was not going to sing at all. He looked through the cameras and saw 2D eating silently, as if this was his last meal, and maybe it really was. The older man decided not to drink before going to talk to him, didn’t want to make the recording drunk.

He came down with the pills and a glass of water. Reaching the underground, 2D jumped and if he could he would have screamed as he saw Murdoc approaching.

" 'orning Face ache. Today is the big day mate. Ready to sing for me? "

2D just nodded without standing up or staring at the older man. He couldn’t deny that hearing “for me” made him happy.

"Right, let's try here. Sing acapella for me now ... Just to see your progress D. "

Murdoc folded his arms impatiently. 2D froze. He began to tremble and curled even more in the shape he was in, trying to protect himself from the impending fury that was already radiating from the elder. Stu lowered his head.

"Hey Dents ... For Satan's sake, what's wrong with you? Stand up. I ordered you one simple thing "

2D stood up shaking. The height difference of the two was quite large. He swallowed hard, feeling his blood pulsate in the temples.

"What's the matter, mate? Scared to sing for me ...? You've already sang so many times. Just go on."

2D remained silent, waiting for the punch that would come to have disobeyed.

"Ok Dents, I'm starting to loose it here. Will I have to beat you up so you'll sing?"

2D mentally replied "Yes, but I still cannot sing." A fist came down the left side of his face. Stu screamed in pain but nothing came out with the impact he cut his lower lip. Murdoc's eyes widened. Stu put his hand on the side of his face where the older man had hit, already burning.

"What in the name of Satan is that? Where's your bloody voice? "

2D tried to scream “I don’t know”, with his mouth bleeding, but still mute. Murdoc was not going to swallow that easy, he thought the singer was just pretending he was voiceless just to disrupt his plans. Not very gently he placed a hand on Stu's neck and found that his vocal chords vibrated. In a fit of fury, he pressed his hand to the thinner neck of the tallest one, cutting through his air and sinking his claws, leaving marks, causing it to bleed.

"Listen up Face ache, if this is a sick joke I really suggest you stop right fucking now. We need to record and without your damn voice it would not be possible, you understand? "

2D nodded, his eyes already wetting. He desperately wanted to explain that it wasn’t a joke and he had for some reason REALLY lost his voice. The thing that mattered most in his life, music. All that he did, he breathed. Of course he could still play instruments but it wouldn’t be the same. Murdoc let go of him, analyzing the red marks on the neck of a very frightened 2D.

When Murdoch wasn’t drunk he’d lose his balance a little, he’d become someone more rabid and aggressive than usual. Which for Stu could be a big problem because at that moment he was sober. The taller one began to move his fingers near his chest frantically as if to dispel the anxiety that radiated from his body. His face was pure terror and blood, not knowing what the green man's next step would be.

Murdoc angrily tossed the glass of water to the floor, making the same shatter, followed by a grunt. Okay for 2D, he was already taking his pills dry was as if they were candy. But slowly the older man grabbed one of the glass pieces and headed toward 2D that was unresponsive.

"Let's play a game D. I'll cut you until I _listen_ you beggin’ me to stop."

Now 2D was desperate. This was too cruel even for Murdoc, he had already made it clear that he wasn’t pretending. But as a good sadist the older one had to be sure using his own methods. He gave a grin showing all his sharp teeth and his abnormally long tongue and took the piece next to Stu's shoulder. He began with a thin line and the tall one writhes in pain, but without any noise.

Murdoc wanted to write an "M". If by the end of it 2D did not sketch reaction he would stop and be sure something was really wrong and he was not doing it on purpose. Already in the middle of the letter Stu was sobbing and crying, begging him to stop. Well, the beg Murdoc had already achieved, but still no sound. When he finished the M and gave up, he let go of Stu, who had his face contorted in pain. And the hand over where it was cut.

"All right then ... Now I'm sure you're not pretending, dullard. I'll postpone recording until you have your bloody voice again. "

And he left without caring that the tallest man laid on the floor in pain. What the hell had happened to Stu? 2D took the pills dryly, they would help not to feel so much the cut. He wiped the blood that flowed with his blouse. He did not expect Murdoc to bring anything better for him to clean.

Snorting with rage Murdoc reached the place where the cameras were. He was going to try to find the recording from the previous night to see if anything had happened that led to this sudden loss of 2D voice. He found it. The only one that appeared on the recording was the cyborg, with a sinister green light ... talking something about a curse. So Stu had been cursed huh...? That explains what happened, but was it the cyborg who cursed him?

He needed to discount his anger at something. Or someone. He almost destroyed the fake Noodle with so much hits. After being satisfied, he organized his thoughts and realized that 2D really wasn’t to blame for what happened to him ... And that he also didn’t know how to undo the curse. Not that he needed his blue haired angel only for the album, but he couldn’t leave him voiceless indefinitely. If Murdoc hadn’t brought him to this crappy island, none of this would have happened. One more for the endless list of bad things he did with Stu. He had to fucking drink and think how to reverse it.

 


	3. Change of Heart

Well, the day ran normally and 2D's voice still didn’t come back. Murdoc, already irritated and slightly drunken, were thinking of ways to reverse this curse. At lunch time he decided to feed 2D instead of fake Noodle. Since he couldn’t speak, Murdoc took him a notebook so he could write something and communicate when he didn’t know how to mime. 2D has never been too smart to express himself, now voiceless, even more.

In the subterraneous he handed the notebook to the blue-haired man and instructed him that if he wanted to speak, write down.. Murdoc at the height of his sick way of thinking, he thought of a way to reverse. What the pain couldn’t make it, perhaps pleasure could work... He already knew that 2D felt something for himself, despite being almost 40 years old he didn’t have the guts to verbalize it, but his actions always denounced. Murdoc could take advantage of the situation if Stu let him... And maybe his voice would come back when a strong wave of oxytocin filled his veins.

As well, the fact of being in the middle of nowhere, enhanced the sexual tension between the two man (as Cyborg Noodle wasn’t human) and Murdoc had no one to discount it, just his own hand that was already curled. Other times, when he was alone, Murdoc had no one to fantasize about, and several times his thoughts fell on 2D, even without him knowing why. He could not deny that Stu had his charm... If you were attracted by lack of front teeth, strange hair colored guys, and fractured eyes ... The older one knew that from the first moment he met him in that unfortunate accident in '97.

"There you go, Face Ache. While you’re voiceless try to communicate writing. Enjoy it and see if it distracts you ... "

 

2D nodded positively. He picked it up and wrote:

 

_I do not know what happened! I woke up and my bloody voice was gone ..._

 

"I saw from the cameras that some sod evil thing cursed you for some reason ... So it wasn’t your fault, Dents."

 

Murdoc approached without a word, making Stu tensely nervous.

 

"I will not hit you, dullard. Stay quiet"

 

The older man came over and put a bandage over where he'd cut 2D before. The proximity between the two resulted in a more intense exchange of glances ... Stu's mouth was slightly open and he was a little curved to achieve the height of Murdoc.

 

"Well, D’ ... I thought of a way to reverse this .... Try to…"

 

He smiled, showing all his sharp teeth again. He approached 2D’s ear.

 

"But only if you allow me..."

 

2D couldn’t speak but his body answered for him with an almost imperceptible nod. He dropped the notebook and pen that fell on the floor, making a loud noise as the place was empty. The abnormally large tongue of the older one came down the neck of 2D causing more shivers. Followed by a kiss full of lust ... While skilled hands gripped the blue-haired man who seemed to melt at any moment.

Though he had in mind that he wanted only to reverse his problem, in Murdoc's deepest thoughts, he wanted to do it for so long with Stu's permission. Of all the bad things he knew was, rapist wasn’t on the list. It was not only horny and purely carnal. After all, they worked together more than 10 years as bandmates. There was a certain admiration between them. But he would never admit that he had fallen in love with the singer. Someone like Murdoc Niccals doesn’t simply "falls in love".

He did his best to make sure Stuart had his time with him in a way he wouldn’t forget. As the green man had made it clear the reason he had gone there, Murdoc took lunch, but no pills, bearing in mind that nothing better than good sex to cure a migraine, (even more so with a sex god like him) and Stu had them often. The pleasure was so intense that he passed away soon after they finished, a beautiful ego massager for the older man, who despite advanced age still knew how to do it well.

He returned to take care of lyrics and drink the rest of the day. When he got tired and saw some sign that 2D had woken up through the cameras, he would try to talk to him. A few hours later Stu regained consciousness, and as Murdoc noticed he was in pain again. Bored and unable to speak, he began to write down in the notebook to pass time. As the older man was still busy with what he was doing earlier, he watched as Stu expressed himself through those pages. He couldn’t deny that he was curious to know what he was writing. He caught himself looking at the camera just ... admiring 2D. That hollow head.

Murdoc late in the afternoon was already drunk, even so he decided to help his "friend" who thought he had already gotten his voice back. If he hadn’t yet, the Satanist promised himself that he wouldn’t lose his temper again, after all, their moments together were happening precisely because of the absence of Stu’s voice. Otherwise, they would only be recording without any proximity. It was a curse and a blessing at the same time. Even so, Murdoc already missed hearing the young man's girly voice.

Down again in the robot's place, he wasn’t too lazy to go see Stu, hee was even willing.

 

"Hey Face Ache... Uncursed yet?"

 

2D curled up himself, both arms over his head and face. It hadn’t come back, and he was afraid get hit by the older man's impatience to go ahead with the album. He shook his head negatively and closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the punch he knew would come. He was feeling hurt knowing he’d been used, even with the fact that Murdoc made clear that they had engaged only to solve this technical problem.

The green man snorted in irritation. Luckily he had drunk enough to soften his inner anger. After all, although frustrated that his idea hadn’t worked, he knew that the tall one wasn’t to blame for not having worked. In those hours if 2D had voice he would be apologizing and begging him not to hit him in that high, wailing voice. Murdoc laughed internally at the thought.

 

"Stop it 'D. I understand that my idea didn’t work. Come on, you need to bath. "

 

Despite being indifferent to the fact that the youngest was fine or not, leaving Stu without even being able to clean up himself after what they did was too cruel for him. 2D could no longer sing, the least Murdoc could do was make him well. He held one of his upper wrists feeling how much the blue-haired man had thinned himself in the last few days, ordering him to stand up.

 

"I'll be benevolent and you can use my bathroom. But do not try anything, or you'll collect the rest of your teeth scattered on its floor, understood face ache? "

 

And he tightened 2D’s pulse. He nodded and held his wrist. Stu whispered a "Thank you, Muds" soundless, smiling and showing his lack of front teeth. Even a minimal act of care was enough to make the younger happy, how could he be so naive? They walked to the bathroom in silence.

 

"I'll be back with clean clothes. Your pills are in the cupboard over the sink if you think you need it, mate "

 

Yes, Murdoc also kept 2D's clothes, because he knew theirs wouldn’t fit, Stu's body was very disproportionate. He was undeniably happy to be treated well, when he should be beaten up until his voice came back. Something had changed in the behave of the old grumpy man. For a moment, he left the album aside and began to "take care of" Stu.

2D wanted to sing again. Needed. He was trapped inside his own head and that was hopeless. Even more for someone who lives with anxiety and pain 24/7, with a head that no longer works very well. The only good thing this had brought was that he had finally managed to get something closer to Murdoc ... Even if the reason for it was not what he wanted, he was happy. For the first time since he was trapped with that bloody whale and fake Nooodle, 2D was happy.

He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He could clearly see the hickeys and marks by his slender body. Stu shivered as he remembered who had made them and how recent they had been. How much he'd lost weight since he was trapped in Plastic Beach, the bones on his face were protruding and his ribs too. His dark circles around his eyes were even deeper ... He was horrible. How could anyone like him? He had never found himself attractive, but it seemed that every day he got worse.

He took his bath and as ordered, didn’t try to escape. Being well treated as he was, he didn’t bother to stay locked for a while. In all this lightness of thought he ended up getting one wrong pill and accidentally took a sleeping one. He went out, got dressed and went back to where he was. Soon 2D  fell asleep and didn’t even eat. He didn’t even see when the food arrived.

The cyborg who was assigned to feed him. She told her master that 2D had already slept when she arrived. Although finding strange the time Stu had slept, Murdoc left him in peace unconscious, not knowing it was just the effect of the pills.

Later that night, filled with curiosity and boredom, he went to the place where 2D was and "stole" the notebook where he was writing. Murdoc wanted to know what was going on in someone else's incapable-of-speaking mind.

 


	4. Blue haired boy

Murdoc despite the large amount of alcohol in his blood, he could still turn letters into words, although 2D’s calligraphy is very hard to understand. The pages weren’t complete, seemed like thoughts spaced when 2D wasn’t too in pain to write.

 

_I hate this bloody rotten piece of broken plastic ..._

_I wanted to go back to the old times ... Before all this madness that makes me want to die ..._

_That bloody cyborg is not Noodle ... She's alive somewhere ... I know she is._

_Sodding whale ... I want her to go away. It terrifies me day and night._

_I don’t want Muds to give up cuz’ o’ me._

_It's all my fault._

_Despite Muds being like he is, he makes me happy. I wish I could sing "Broken" for him._

_Why have I been cursed? What have I done wrong...? Now I lost music. The only thing I still had... Besides Muds, of course._

 

And one last written comprehension.

 

 

 

 _If my voice didn’t come back, I know I’ll be replaced. Muds wouldn’t let Gorillaz end up ‘cuz of an moron like me. But what I feel inside my heart won’t change. If I can’t have his love, or be useful anymore ... at least I'll try to stay his friend_.

_I just hope he doesn’t hate me._

 

It seemed that Stu just wrote down what he felt: all the anger, frustration and hope that still existed in his foolish heart, everything he wanted to scream for everyone to hear. Murdoc knew that what was written there, even if Stu had a voice he wouldn’t talk about. He understood that the fear of rejection was a familiar and reciprocal feeling between the two. And it hurt in him, hurt deep in his soul if he had one. Inside his head, 2D didn’t deserve to suffer. He too good for that.

Of course, the older man understood better what it was to be abandoned and rejected, after all, not even his parents wanted him when he was a baby. He grew up assuming other personalities for not having people around who made him accept himself as he was. Murdoc was ashamed of himself, has always been. His father was a mean man, could never be remembered as a father figure. And Murdoc grew up and became someone just like him, an alcoholic, violent and often wicked with people who wanted only his good, and he knew that Stu was one of them. Perhaps the most important of them all.

Murdoc had replaced the other two band members without thinking twice. Why Stu no? He knew they weren’t so vital to the progress and recording of the album. But our blue-haired singer, that yes, couldn’t be replaced. No one could give voice to his lyrics like him, it wasn’t so simple to get someone else, almost impossible. Undeniably, a part of their success was due to the 2D’s, he hated to admit it but knew it was true, they would not have come this far without the singer. Not even the voice of the Noodle was so important, and by God he was his frontman.

 

"A blue-haired God with no eyesballs."

 

Murdoc’s words from some time ago. He knew enough of 2D to know what part of his emotional problems and pills dependence had come from his childhood, a part of his mother's care, and the Satanist negative influence only contributed to their aggravation. Stu different from him had father and mother present, care and lots of love. Unlike him as well who was intrinsically evil and smart, 2D was naive and good, which had cost him a lot over his lifetime. Murdoc had never been loved in his life, how could he understand and offer this feeling to someone who has always been loved? They were almost mirrors of each other, but one thing they both had were psychological disorders and only one sick person can understand other person in the same condition.

He regretted that he had been so weak and hadn’t dealt with his father's "inherited" problems earlier, such as uncontrollable anger, narcissism, the trauma of having beaten up frequently, and the pain of never having a real family. He did treatment for a few years but gave up because he was weak and had no one to support him, as he never had. He continued with his aggressive and sometimes self-destructive behaviors, discounting in his personal punching bag, which happened to be also the person who insisted on him the most, who was present and who suffered most in his hands but even without hope didn’t give up on him. Murdoc acknowledged this, he would never say it openly to 2D.

The green man knew that it wasn’t just physical damage and scars he had left. A large part of his chronic fear, anxiety, concussions and crises, happened because of the endless beating he'd been taking, the swearing he'd heard and the bad feelings that must have taken a part of his good heart after so many years being disowned by someone who 2D really cared about. Aware of all this, the older man preferred to sink into alcohol than to regard the situation as an adult, an adult almost 50 years old to be exact.

He knew that his alcoholism was often triggered by the guilt he felt about 2D. He drowned what he thought because he also didn’t have the balls to do the right thing that was to ask for forgiveness for everything he had done. Face to face. He knew he would be forgiven, because Stu couldn’t have bad feelings for anyone ... He would forget as he "forgets" all the times Murdoc did something bad to him. And that Sod dullard would smile again for him. Anyway, the most necessary forgiveness was Murdoc with himself, which involved a necessary change of behavior to compensate for all the bad things he had done. Terrifying for him to think about trying to be a good man, even to Murdoc, who made a pact with entities under his feet.

He read and reread the words on the dented sheets. Had a sleepless night, thinking and of course, drinking. The painful conclusion came that if 2D didn’t recover his voice with all the methods they tried, he would have to set him free. After all he hated being where he was and now he was purposeless too ... What would Gorillaz be without 2D? Nor did he know ... Even with all the talent for writing lyrics he was just a bastard bass.

Anyway, Murdoc would still be close to the youngest. He _needed_ Stu. But not just to singer, he _needed_ him in a way he still didn’t understand. He didn’t want to think about separating himself from that naive hollow head. He was one of the few friends he still had, who could put his name and "happy" in the same sentence without sounding forced or false. It was as closest he had to call family, and there were already two missing. The Satanist looked once more at the cameras, it was almost dawning, and 2D appeared to be having a nightmare this time ... He woke up suddenly, would scream if he could, breathing uneasily and with eyes that would jump out of their orbits if they could. Even sleeping pills couldn’t keep him unconscious when he had that kind of nightmares.

Something inside the older one snapped and he was overcome by a sudden urge to go to Stu and calm him down. Tell him sweet nothings that everything was going to be okay. Even as old as he was, he knew that 2D had unexplained childish fears and behaved like a disconsolate child very often. This had stopped irritating Murdoc ever since they'd been locked together ... It had always been this way and he was usually comforted by the other members, Noodle or Russel. With their absence, Murdoc, who should be in charge. He was almost looking forward to his "cellmate" be safe. Was there still time for late change in behavior?

Stu wrapped his long legs back against his chest again, as he always did when he felt afraid and again cried. He was tired of being alone. Tired of being voiceless. Tired of everything. Again another metallic noise took him out of his thoughts ... He didn’t even bother to raise his head thinking it was the bloody cyborg again.

 

"Hey, Face Ache."

 

It surprised him it wasn’t her. What the bloody hell did he want so early?

 

"Are you all right?"

 

It wasn’t possible that he was worrying about himself. It should be some sick joke. Tired, Stu just nodded "No" with his head. At that moment the man realized that the notebook had disappeared, 2D could not write what had happened if Murdoc wanted to know. Silly the taller man thought that was him who had lost it and not the notebook that had been stolen by the person who spoke to him.

 

"Was it a nightmare?"

 

He answered with a yes, head still low. His dialogues were reduced to yes or no questions. But strangely they understood each other better than fighting with the right to dialogue rather than monologues. Murdoc crouched down up to Stu's height. He put his hand slowly on his hair that was bluer than the Sea of Plastic Beach, he had no idea what he was doing, his body acted on his own. He gently stroked the blue wires.

2D looked up at the older man, his eyes still wet, darker than the night sky. Murdoc who had been responsible for them becoming what they are.

 

"You must be weak. 's take a walk outside. The sunrise here on the island is pretty cool. I think you'll like it."

 

He had lost count of how many times he had seen it alone. For the first time he gave a smile that was not frightening. It was a real smile. Stu was out of reaction thinking everything was too good to be true. Was he really going to let him out? He got up without questioning, didn’t want Murdoc to change his mind. As a fact, the absence of sunlight, some exercise and some meals had left him weak. But not that the green-skinned man should mind changing that.

As he stood up very quickly, he felt dizzy. The sleeping pills were still in his bloodstream. Murdoc promptly held him. “Too much arms and legs for a little brain”, he thought. They both looked at each other and Stu blushed, his heart racing inside his ribcage. Touches were things that made him shiverin the situation he was in because they didn’t happen very often.

The hand holding 2D’s arm came down gently and laced their fingers together. Murdoc realized that the tall one trembled slightly and took care that this time his "claws" didn’t hurt him anymore.

 

"I can’t carry you Dents. Hold on to me not to fall, your dullard. "

 

2D smiled as a thank you. He thought he was going to be hit for almost falling to the ground when the "Freedom" he wanted was so close. They headed outside the building. The sun was rising, and the orange, blue and pink tones that painted the sky almost made the singer forget all the problems. His damaged eyes couldn’t discern the colors well, but he knew that it was something beautiful, more beautiful when he’s in the company of someone he loves.

He didn’t go out on the old man's side at any moment, if he were to drop his hand, he would let Murdoc drop first. He didn’t need support any more, but he made a point of maintaining physical contact. He didn’t know when they would be able to come up with such an approach again. He had even stopped crying, and his heart was draining from the anguish he was in.

They didn’t know how long they looked at the horizon and felt the first rays of the sun warm their skin. Stu wouldn’tt try to run away. As much as he wanted, something inside him insisted on staying. As usual when 2D was very happy his eyes changed from black to white. Murdoc, who let him stay as long as he wanted, noticed this. 2D took a few steps forward and turned his head thanking him and again showing his toothless grin. Illuminated by the sun, he was Murdoc’s blue haired angel.

At that moment Murdoc's heart did like Grinch's, it grew a bit. Finally he understood that the reason why he _needed_ that funny, tall awkward creature, was because he loved him.


	5. Incident

For a few moments, Murdoc lowered his guard as he left the interior of the building with the taller man. They were an easy pirate target on that situation, which wanted to take over that piece of rotten plastic in the middle of the Pacific. But as it was only dawn and had no sign of approach, otherwise the cyborg would would’ve warn her master, the elder was more relaxed about impending dangers. And he also liked how he felt about seeing 2D so unconcerned.

He approached Stu who was eyes closed feeling the typical salt breeze taking over his nostrils. Even when surrounded by garbage, the marriage of sea with the sky was a beautiful thing to appreciate, especially for someone who had not been in the outside for so long. Murdoc gently touched his fingertips on 2D’s shoulder to get him out of his trance. Unfortunately, he needed to talk to him about what was stuck in one of the few moments when he wasn’t being a dick.

 

"Stu ..."

 

He spoke lower than usual. His voice thick and fleeing almost sounding like a whisper. For a long time he hasn’t called 2D by the name of baptism... The singer had even forgotten that his name wasn’t "Face Ache", "Dents" or "2D", but it seems that Murdoc didn’t forget what he used to be called. God, for how long he didn’t remember that one day he was an ordinary bloke, before the two accidents, fame and everything ...?

He turned, still with the corners of his mouth bowed in a smile and bright white eyes. He thought he would be shouted at to go back or listen to a scolding for getting away from him, but the situation without his concussions and the wish that all of this didn’t end there made him forget everything. Even hearing his birth name "escape" from Murdoc's lips was priceless.

 

"Yeah, I remember you’ real name. And ... before anything else I've been thinking.” He sighed as he positioned himself next to the singer staring at the water avoiding looking in his eyes. "If we don’t ‘ave any idea how to recover your voice, you're free, Face Ache. Yes, you may leave Plastic Beach, now it's your choice whether stay or not, as long as you’re ... mute. "

 

2D wrinkled his thick eyebrows. Was he confused, was he really being set free? Was that how he should feel? He wanted to giggle for at last to be able to get rid of that hell that he was stuck against his will ... But another part of him wanted to stay. Not to be away from Murdoc, after all his life would be normal and boring. He got used to to the old man's craziness and eccentricities ... He definitely didn’t want his "freedom" anymore if it meant being alone again. His smile melted away, giving way to a sad, confused and even worried look ...

 

"You can celebrate, D '. You’re free from me and all this shit... "

 

It hurt a lot for Murdoc to say those words after what he had read in the 2D’s notebook. But he didn’t own the singer, the Satanist would let him choose. If he chose to stay, it was going to be a huge surprise, it would be by his own will only to accompany the recording without even participating. Stu shook his head in a “no” and frowned ever harder. He couldn’t speak, but pointed at Murdoc, at himself and then at the floor. Something like "No, I don’t wanna go, and I want to stay here with you without being able to sing."

 

"I don’t understand, Face Ache... You’re supposed to be happy now that you’re able to leave..."

 

Before 2D could react, he threw himself over the bassist shouting something like "Watch Out" without making a sound. He protected Murdoc from being shot. The sod pirates were attacking the island again. They looked at each other and ran inside as soon as they realized they were some of them. But before reaching the door, 2D the weakest, less intelligent and slower was shot.

Lucky for him he was leaning on Murdoc, otherwise the Satanist would not have noticed the silent scream of pain. His eyes widened as she saw the slender tall figure fall on the path. He clenched his teeth, and without thinking much, he picked him up in his lap as best as the rush allowed, already feeling the blood drain. Stu had been shot in the leg, thankfully not in any vital organ but it was enough to prevent him from running.

Upon entering, he ordered the cyborg to take care of 2D’s wound. He didn’t want to admit it, nor was he a doctor, but in the situation where the singer was, it wouldn’t be enough to heal him staying on the island with half a dozen medicines. "Noodle" stuck bleeding with a tourniquet the way she could make it.

2D was excruciating from pain, both from the bullet and from his concussions. His eyes went back to a deep black and he pointed to his head in one last attempt to get his pills, before he went out. The cyborg despite being programmed to take orders and not have feelings, went to get the pills. She knew that her master didn’t want the blue-haired man to die; she had been told in advance how much 2D was needed and that she should keep it that way.

Meanwhile Murdoc tried to get rid of the pirates. As soon as the cyborg did what she needed to do with 2D and he passed out, he ordered her to go out and eliminate anyone who was in her way without mercy. As they were in small quantity, "Noodle" managed to take the best and prevent them from dominating Plastic Beach. She promptly returned to the "HQ" leaving a pile of bodies behind.

The green man tried in vain to wake Stu up. He was more unconscious than ever, the result of mix of weakness, pain, and pills. The wound was still very ugly, and against his will he knew that he would have to leave the island if he wanted to save his singer, he knew he couldn’t do anything to remove the bullet.

Murdoc put 2D  again on his lap, taking care not to make it worse. He was still breathing slowly, and his heart was pounding. It was a race against time. He set up the submarine along with the fake Noodle with a few changes of clothing and personal stuff and ran as fast as he could back to the continent. The bassist didn’t want to admit it, but driving with tear-stained eyes was difficult and desperate. He got used to the silence of the other since Stu had been cursed, but for the first time Murdoc found himself thinking that he would no longer hear his voice for a reason unrelated to the visit of the ghost.

Reaching the land, the satanist ordered the robot to call an ambulance, on foot they wouldn’t get anywhere. While it didn’t arrive, Murdoc sat still with 2D in his lap, making sure that although unconscious he was still alive. Looking at his pale face, the blame hit him hard, imagining that he would not see those "eyes" open again all ‘cuz a big mistake of his. He ran his hand gently along the side of 2D's face. He was even cold. The lump in his throat seemed to burn. And he knew it wasn’t the effect of alcohol because he hadn’t had time to drink that day.

The ambulance wasn’t long in coming. He handed Stu to the nurses and ordered Noodle to take the submarine back to Plastic Beach and wait for further instructions when they returned from the hospital. Murdoc geniously invented a fiery story that he’d found that man already unconscious and injured, felt that he should do something about it. Relation with the victim? "Friends." And who would bear all the costs? Murdoc. Fuck the album it could wait.

He went along with the nurses while Stu was in the back of the vehicle. He never felt so nervous about a sound in his life, the ambulance siren. He held himself the whole way so as not to cry in front of strangers, he had to stand firm if he wanted to save 2D. It would be a long fucking day.

 

Arriving at the reception, they ran with 2D still unconscious and with many devices attached to him on a stretcher. Was all this really necessary? He answered questions, gave information about the singer and waited, waited for long minutes that soon turned into hours, for some news about Stu. Time dragged by when he was sober.

When he was almost punching an employee, they finally came to him. He took a deep breath so as not to explode with irritation. He was told that they were able to save 2D. He had lost a lot of blood, needing a transfusion in a hurry and that he was in a severe state of dehydration. Luckily it didn’t hit any major irrigation artery, but it was close. They removed the bullet and he just wouldn’t be able walk for a while until there was some healing. Pain medication was being intravenous along with serum and he was unconscious for now, but he could wake up at any moment.

With some insistence, they allowed the Satanist to enter the room to see him. The sight was familiar. It seemed the time when Murdoc had to take care of the singer in a coma after they met under unfortunate circumstances... It was a painful feeling but it wasn’t a new one, both times it was his fault. The nurse said he could stay as long as he desired, even stay for the night if he wanted to. Murdoc had taken clothes for that. Good to be cautious, right?

He took a shower and had lunch. They served him only, 2D was in the serum. And he didn’t wake up. The Satanist didn’t try to wake him up, he was going to let him do it himself. Murdoc put the television on some random program just to have sound in the room, couldn’t stand so much silence with his thoughts. Sometimes he took Stu's hand gently, make circles with his long fingernails, analyze how slender and long his fingers were, the fingers of a pianist. Soon he was in a monologue with the inert body next to him, telling funnin 'jokes or commenting on the TV show.

On the nightstand there was a small notebook, there Murdoc continued sketching the lyrics of the album's songs, needed to distract himself from all that had happened in order not to cry again. And without company it was difficult. At dusk, he decided to go out and take a walk when the nurse came to change the bandages and make medications. He didn’t want to see the size of the damage on the younger's leg. The Satanist went to find something better than hospital food and arranging a wheelchair and crutches for 2D when he woke up. Maybe even drink a little ...

 

When would his blue haired god wake up?

 


	6. Talk

 

Murdoc wandered city streets trying to dispel bad thoughts. He bought some snacks and a sandwich for 2D and another for himself. He even went on to a Blockbuster and rented some horror movies, which were favorites of the singer. He hesitated but decided to stop by a bar, it was an undeniably cold night and he wanted to "warm up." Excellent excuse. He didn’t even bother to think that Stu could wake up in the bedroom, find no one and despair like a child who loses his parents at the mall. At least he had the decency to leave a note saying he was coming back soon.

He had about five shots of cowboy whiskey. He promised himself that he wouldn’t drink too much for anyone in the hospital to notice and prevent him from entering 2D’s room. He didn’t even notice that two gorgeous birds approached him, whispering and laughing quietly to each other, saying that he was the bass player of a band. What’s it’s name? Chinchillas, not Gorillaz, I think that's it.

Murdoc let out a sigh. Despite being out for some time without shagging and the birds seem easy and hot, for some reason he’d avoided chatting with them. He was without patience or any horn. In fact, Murdoc wanted them to be 2D getting drunk with him. His head only thought about the singer. He imagined him smiling, that damn lack of teeth and commenting with a grimace on how he could take something so strong without any ice ... being a pain in the arse, with that soft and girly voice, so different from his, hoarse and thick ... He even remembered the desperate measure of voice recovery that had involved sex ... Murdoc missed him. He wanted that tall, skinny, awkward, blue haired angel back.

He exchanged half a dozen words with the girls so he wouldn’t have left two "fans" unattended. But when they came on to try something, he disengaged and said that he had a compromise elsewhere, denying both, winning some curses and disapproval frowning. His heart told him (actually screamed) to go back soon, that there wasn’t his place. His place was with 2D. Stu’s presence was comforting, felt like home, always made the older man feel safe. With him Murdoc didn’t have to pretend to be who he wasn’t. He could be almost vulnerable, as if that word existed in his vocabulary. What the hell was going on with the bastard bass player? Exchanging an easy laid for the company of a mute-man.

Meanwhile in the hospital Stu’s was almost recovering consciousness. By taking painkillers straight into the vein, his already damaged brain triggered some hallucinations while he slept. The singer remembered flashes of what had happened to him recently, Plastic Beach, the whale, the pirates, his burning leg ... A lot of pain ... And everything went dark ... Murdoc. Where was he now? Had he already abandoned him and went to look for another singer?

2D was sweating cold and shivering. His bandages had been changed and the medication ministered, so again he was left alone. With the low noises and the lighting of the TV he woke up. His throat was dry as if he hadn’t been drinking water for days. As his eyes focused on the place in which he was in he noticed that it was an hospital room, also due to the access in his arm and the characteristic noise of the cardiac monitor that indicated that he was still alive.

His head was still spinning, how long had he been unconscious? And who the hell took him there? He ran his hand down his leg and found the bandages over the wound. If he wasn’t on medication, he’d be screaming from pain ... Not even his head hurt. They should be ministering something very strong for a painkiller-addicted to feel. Now he could remember what had happened more clearly. Beside him was a writing paper, with Murdoc's well-known calligraphy.

 

_Gone to buy food. What they serve at this hospital sucks._

_If you wake up don’t panic. Back in a flash, Face Ache._

_M._

 

Murdoc had been careful to leave a note. Something had really changed the bass player’s behavior. 2D grinned. He left the note again on the bedside table but in another position. The singer looked at the clock that marked 9:30 pm. It was too early for him to be coming back, he should have shagged with some random bird and would spend the night out ... Or drunk and passed out somewhere. Or both. Stu felt a twinge of what he was sure to be jealousy in his chest. But what he could do? Useless on a hospital bed, he would probably stay for a long time not able to walk ... He was going to be an even greater embarrassment for Murdoc. 2D tried to say something to see if at least after all that fright he had regained his voice and again, nothing.

 Annoyed with his own thoughts 2D crossed his arms and returned to watch tv. Suddenly he began to hear noises coming from the front door, it must be Murdoc coming back from the night stroll. Early ... strange. In the fright, he quickly decided to pretend that he was still unconscious to see what would happen. Would he have had the audacity to take over whoever he was making out to the room where Stu was?

 

Murdoc came stumbling, cursing and calling for 2D, as usual. He leaned against the door with a smile that soon dissipated.

 

"Ah yew still ‘ave not woken up, Face Ache .. I thought that after so long yew’d get up ... But ... But I think I was wrong ..."

 

He was very wordy and stuttering. This only happened when the Satanist was very nervous, furious or had drink too much. Maybe it was a mix of the three this time.

 

"I though’ yew’d like t’ know that I brough’ yew food ... Those nurses didn’t even see me coming ... Sneaky like a sod wolf ... I dunno if yew're going to wake up ‘ungry since yew're in the serum ... But in any case the meals ‘ere are rubbish ... ". He set the grocery shopping on top of the bedside table. "I also brough’ sum movies, I know tha’ yew like ‘orror movies ... I'll put the tv higher volume t’ see if the screams wake yew up D ..."

 

Murdoc slowly came to the TV and put the movie on that 2D soon recognized as "Nightmare on Elm Street" He was trying his best to pretend to be dead. The singer wanted to know how much the alcohol was going to carry the lively, talking creature at his side.

 

"Yew know Dents ... Sum birds came t’ chat with me a’ the bar I was a’... But I didn’t even paid attention ..." 2D heard a noise that sounded like someone undressing. He controlled himself so the thought of a half-naked Murdoc didn’t wake another part of his body when he needed to remain fake unconsciousness. "I fuckin’ ran ‘ere to see yew ... Shame that yer not yet awake ... I wanted yew to watch this sodding movie wif me ..." The basssist let out a hoarse laughter typical of him. 2D almost smiled at the sound. And hearing that he dismissed the birds to stay with him, made him feel special.

 

"Even if yer still speechless, dullard ... Staying on yer side is still betta than with strangers... Pretty ones, but yer gorgeous too… Yew voiceless annoys me less ... I know ... I know, it's been almost ten damn years that I've known yew ... One hour we learn ‘ow t’ deal wif ... "He took off his boots as he spoke. Murdoc should have been only in his trousers ‘cuz 2D didn’t hear any sound of zipper being opened.

"Yew scared the shit outta me, yew know Face Ache? But like always yew survived, dork... I think ... I think that creaking door ‘angs longest. "He laughed again. "I've already taken yew many pieces...". Murdoc sat down on the bed and took the hand of the singer which had no venous access. Stu could feel the kindness he had in manipulating his hand. Stu’d never seen the Satanist being so nice to him. His fingers were callused by the bass, and he had long nails, but it didn’t hurt ... Murdoc was being careful to him.

 

"I talk a lot o’ shit here as if .... Like yew could ‘ear me ..." A sigh. "’cuz if yew could, yew certainly wouldn’ bear t’ ‘ear the moans of a drunken ‘ifty ‘ucked up man..." Another laugh. "I guess I owe yew an apology, don’t I? I don’t even know where t’ start from all the shit stuff I did to yew. This was the latest one ... That once again you escaped, yer arsehole ... "Murdoc did’nt let go of the singer hand. "I'm sorry for ... For the two times I ran over yew, fer making yer eyes like they are ... For the punch that broke your front teeth .... For.... For doin’ it wif yer girlfriend. But just t’ tell yew was that bitch that started… But I know I shouldn’t ‘ave done it ... I know it ‘urt yew. Oh, and I'm sorry to ‘ave kidnapped yew ... And that’ yew've been shot ‘cuz  o’ that ... It was a bit outta the rails... " A pause.

 

"This band wouldn’t go anywhere if it wasn’t fer yew Dents '. Gorillaz’s soul lies in that angel voice of yers that doesn’t return ... And ... well I'm sorry fer stealing the notebook I left wif yew when we were on the island. Yew didn’t even realize it was gone, did yew?" Actually 2D hadn’t noticed. He froze figuring out that Murdoc had read it. How would he have reacted? "I read what yew wrote ... And well, yew complain a lot yew know, mate? But yew don’t ‘ave to be afraid, I won’t replace yew, okay? Where could I find a six-foot, blue haired and brain damaged dullard, with no eyesballs t’ sing fer me?" 2D snorted inwardly at the insults. "What I'm trying t’ say ‘ere is that the band ends up wif yer voice. Or the lack of it .. And no .. I don’t hate yew, actually I can’t. Not ‘cuz of what happened... It wasn’t yer fault ... None o’ this was .. Anyway I kinda ‘ate you for a reason.” Murdoc has always been so conflicting. “ ‘cuz despite everyfing that has ever happened to yew ... Yew neva stopped being a good man, someone ... Right... Mate, how can yew? That's what I ‘ate ‘bout yew, Stuart ... "He called out his name, making the hair on 2D’s arm twitch. Things were going to get pretty serious.

 

"I ... I've become the ‘ateful and detestable man I am ... Someone evil, mean, monstrous... The same as my father. " His voice was choked... Murdoc was ... crying? "Yew know D, I ‘ad a sod childhood ... I bet yew don’t understand the meaning of those words ... Yew ‘ad a family that luvs yew ... I wish I ‘ad luving parents, D’… I tried to ‘eal Face ache, I tried so fuckin’ ‘ard fer a while ... But I gave up. It was much betta keep drinking ... And being an arsehole wif everyone ... Especially a jerk wif yew, who neva deserved anything... " He used one of his hands to wipe his face. "Satan’s sake drinking makes me a very emotional son of a bitch ... Glad yew're not listening ..." Another laugh.

 

 

 

"Sorry fer all the times that I called yew names, hit yew and shouted a’ yew ... I think... I think I treat yew like this so yew neva feel .... feel able to go on alone. Yew ‘ave a lo’ o’ talent Dents, a lo’ o’ potential, but I neva wanted yew to discover this and leave the band ... Gorillaz _needs_ yew. I _need_ yew.. Yew are the family I never ‘ad. And yes, I miss a lot Noods and Russ ... Although it doesn’t seems, I ‘ope they are well wheneva they are” It was starting to get difficult to control himself hearing so much ... But even before Murdoc told him all of this, 2D had already forgiven him. He understood that much of his behave reflected everything that had lived and not overcome. It wasn’t right to discount his pain on the others but it is as people say, Murdoc: can't live with him, can't live without him. Or something like that.

 

"But ... I ‘m ... I'm sure yew do ‘ate me, mate. I gave you all the fuckin’ reasons for that ... "A sore laugh, which sounded more like a crying sob. "I dunno what I ‘ave done in this bloody life t’ deserve a band mate as nice as yew. Thanks fer all those years ... It wouldn’t ‘ave been the same without yew ... " Murdoc let go the inert hand of the singer and ran his hand gently over his face. 2D hadn’t noticed, but his face was as wet as the older man's.

 

"Now ... yew can stop pretending yew're not awake, Stu. I know yew've been listening t’ me since I saw that the note wasn’t where I left it ... Come on, I'm not going t’ ‘it yew. "Stu slowly opened his eyes, his heart racing with anxiety and fear. Murdoc was inches from his face, he could even smell the alcohol that exuded from him. He blinked a few times and let the tears flow. He could barely see the man in front of him.

 

"I just ... took the courage that alcohol and all this shit gave t’ me. Yew suck at pretending, Face ache. I'm not angry, don’t worry. "He ran his fingers back down the singer's face, now wiping away his tears. "Yew know when we were on Plastic Beach ... Surrounded by garbage watching the sunrise? A’ that time I understood ... "He gripped 2D's face with both hands. "That I bloody _need_ you ..." He looked deep into his black eyes. " ‘Cuz I luv you."

 

He leaned over and pressed his mouth to Stu's thin, parted lips. It was just a soft kiss. Murdoc stepped back, still staring at him. "If there's sumthing I don’t want yew to pretend it's what yew feel fer me ..." 2D gasped and dared to speak, closed his eyes to that.

No matter how much he tried to say anything, he would know that the Satanist could understand his mouth moving by the proximity they were. But to the surprise of both man, after long days, 2D’s voice left his lips hoarsely by the lack of use.

 

"I luv yew too, Mu'doc"


	7. Voice

Two pairs of eyes widened. Stu put his hands on his throat, feeling it vibrate and he was just about to smile….

 

SMACK!

 

He got hit in his head. Good old Murdoc Niccals as himself. This time he couln’t scream in pain, but before he could put his hands where he took the blow he felt two hands hugging him.

 

" Sweet Satan Face Ache, finally your bloody voice came back ..."

"Were yew hoping i’ was gone foreva Muds? Whateva yew did this time… I’ worked. " He hugged him back, forgetting the pain of the previous thoughtless attitude. "I ‘ad to be bloody cursed, lose my voice, and ge’ my leg sho’ so yew can realize this ... Jesus Christ ... Nothin’ can eva be easy fer me ..." He let out a low laugh.

"I’ wasn’t easy fer me too, Face Ache ... Fer Satan’s Sake, I though’ yew were goin’ t’ die," he said, changing his tone.

"Bu’ I didn’t. Fer yer happiness ... " They broke off, pausing to analyze what had happened.

"I knew." 2D smiled in victory. " I always knew underneath i’ all tha’ it's yew, i’ had somefing more ... I’ didn’t make sense t’ wroite songs like those on the album ... Yew can even try to be a complete arsehole Muds, bu’ I never doubted tha’ what yew really wanted t’ tell was hidden in yer sod lyrics. Tha’ must be why I neva gave up on yew. "The older man looked at some spot on the bedroom floor. "Bu’ it's okay, lemme luv yew and ..." Murdoc suddenly stood up ...

"It's not tha’ simple Face Ache, it's no’ right ... This ... Yew must be confusin’ things .. This messed ‘ead o’ yers…"

"Whot?" A pause. "Oh I ge’ I’." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Yew're bloody afraid."

"Me? Murdoc Niccals could neva be afraid o’ anything ... There is no such word in my vocabulary... "

"Yes yew're afraid, Muds, afraid to luv sumone without them givin’ yew somefing back. Whot in my case was my voice... " He pointed a trembling finger at the bassist " Or afraid tha’ no one will eva luv you without an interest ... selfishly. Am I wrong? " He furrowed his tick eyebrows. What does the lack of voice do with a person... "And I lost what yew ‘ad interest in me ... I ... I was useless ... But… fer sum reason yew didn’t throw me on the sea so tha’ bloody whale could ea’ me. Yer afraid of rejection, Murdoc.”

 

"Yeah, Dents ... I can’t deny tha’ whot yer say makes sense."

"Bu’ I'm no’ confusing anyfing, Muds. I know fer good whot I've been ‘iding ‘ere since the day yew trespass me. Actually yer car tha’ trespass me ... My mind can be disorganized and I'm no’ as smart as normal people ... Bu’ I think that's whot yew saw in me too ... To tell me yew luv me. "

"I jus’ don’t fucking understand what the fuck yew saw in me ..." He turned his back to 2D. Meanwhile the singer straightened up on the bed releasing a pained groan ‘cuz of his injury. Murdoc quickly came closer the bed and asked what was the matter.

"And yew still ask wha’ I saw in yew, yew bastard. I didn’t ‘ave to do anything and yew already came t’ see if I was okay. When yew wanna be nice t’ me yew are. Yew even worry ‘bout me ... Or pretend well ... And yew’ve been pretty nice wif me lately ...” He took the green hand that rested on the bandages on his leg. "Finally my voice comes back and the first fing we do is fight, Muds? Lemme luv yew, I've always ‘ad. The difference is tha’ now yew know ... "

 

They spent a few long minutes calming down and recovering. The relationship between the two has always been turbulent. Murdoc without control of his anger and little patience with the lack of intellect and the childish behaviors of the singer. 2D always fearful, anxious and unconfident had never imposed himself and always bowed his head to the elder and sometimes even cried. But one thing was certain; both hid what they really felt.

They knew they carried similar pains within themselves. They kind of understand each other’s pais. The good coexistence between the two could ... who know, improve their way of facing things. Finding happiness in each other, would reduce anger and alcohol addiction in one and anxiety and painkillers addiction in the other. After all, they wouldn’t piss off each other so much, which made everything more tiring, music (which has always been a link between them) would flow more easily, and the pains and crises would minimize. But it was just speculation ... There was only one way to know.

Murdoc saw Stu as an angel, always had. Every time he opened his mouth to sing the bassist almost came to the verge of tears. The bluenette was the only one who could actually bring his silent lyrics to life. He called him a songbird or bluebird many times, even without realizing it. What was curious to Murdoc that always called himself Satanist and stuff was to use angelic, divine terms to refer to his singer. Maybe he saw himself as the opposite of the younger, all bad things in a human being, which Stu wasn’t. He was unreachable. And the shouldn’t be together. ‘Cuz Murdoc didn’t _deserve_. And 2D deserved better.

"If I'm wrong, I wan’ t’ be wrong on yer side." He punched Murdoc's tattooed arm lightly.

"That's no’ the matta, D’ ..."

"So wha’ I’ is? Please tell me"

"I cannot even like myself, ‘ow will yew ... luv me?"

 

A sepulchral silence settled in the room, only cut off by the screams coming from the film. That was 2D's turn of not having a reaction. His brain couldn’t process what to answer ... And the sad and distant look of Murdoc wasn’t helping much. Then he had the bright idea of speaking in a language that the two of them could understand.

 

_Distant stars_

_Come in black or red_

_I've seen their worlds_

_Inside my head ..._

 

Murdoc stared at the black orbs without understanding ... Was he singing?

 

_They connect_

_With the fall of man_

_They breathe you in_

_And dive as deep as they can ..._

 

2D couldn’t find an answer ... But all he wanted to be able to do was to sing for Murdoc. Forever. He linked their fingers as he sang softly ... Stu had been longing for this for some time ... Since he had been cursed.

 

_There is nothing you can do for them_

_They are the force between_

_When the sunlight is arising_

_There is nothing you can say to him_

_He is an outer heart_

_And the space has been broken_

 

"I dunno who yew wrote this fer, Muds ... And I dunno ‘ow t’ answer yew either ..." He scratched the back of his head with a yellow smile. "Jus’ give me a chance. T’ show tha’ I can luv yew .... Understand yew ... Maybe even make yew like yerself. "

 

Was Stu asking for a chance? Who should be asking even begging should be Murdoc, after all he did. The green man could have a chance to be happy? The tears pinched the corner of his eyes and he was reluctant to let them fall.  Murdoc was finally feeling something ... He didn’t know what it was. But it felt wonderful. Inside where he thought his heart was, was getting warm.

Still reactionless, the bassist didn’t notice that 2D with his long arm gripped the back of his neck, bringing Murdoc closer to his chest. The Satanist understood that what he wanted to do was lie down on the side of him in bed, so he had straightened himself in it, went to the side for him to fit. They lay down as best they could. Murdoc still didn’t believe that what was happening was true. Hearing the rhythmic breathing and the accelerated heartbeat of the singer.

 

_It's broken_

_Our love ..._

 

He sang softly just for him to listen to and gently laid sloppy kisses on the top of Satanist's black hair. The film's sinister soundtrack didn’t help the mood. Murdoc couldn’t even remember the last time someone had been this gently towards him, without fear or disgust. 2D managed to break this barrier and for the first time he felt at _home_. Those black eyes he admired were a home. He could live in Stu. That was the feeling of lying with someone who really felt something for, not with the empty girls he was used to shag. And the feeling was thrilling.

At that moment, Murdoc broke, as the lyrics says. He cried all that his heart allowed him to. 2D just stood there beside him, listening to her squeaking sobs, playing with his hair and whispering sweet nothing in his ear, until he calmed down.

"Do yew feel betta Muds?"

"Yew must find me a ... a sodding arsehole ... Drunk and crying in yer lap..."

"Well, for sumbody like me who is afraid of and cry of despair over whales, yer tears are absolutely understandable, Muds. Yew don’t ‘ave to explain anyfing fer me if yew don’t want t’. "

2D sounded paternal and assertive, he didn’t shed any tear even though it hurt a lot to see Murdoc in the situation he was in. For the first time he wasn’t afraid near the older man, who was vulnerable and completely exposed. He could have his revenge, step on the bassist's feelings, humiliate him, call him names, make him pay ... Because although he couldn’t inflict physical injuries because he was devoid of strength, he knew that emotional pain was much worse in question of depth, trauma and healing. But he didn’t want it, he knew how much it hurt when Murdoc did it. He used his empathy to do what he thought was right. Although their relationship didn’t have any right or wrong, nothing made any sense at all. Everything was upside down and torn apart.

"I don’t think I ‘ave anything else t’ explain if yew've been listening from the beginnin’, Stu .." He stopped calling names a bit.

"As a matta o’ fact I was ... And Muds ..." He lifted his wet face and in a darker shade of green (since his skin didn’t turn red like normal-skinned people) "I fo’give yew ..." He grinned with his lack of teeth smile. "It's okay." Murdoc kissed him in needy way, not caring how much his face was washed in tears or how much his mouth tasted like alcohol. Now it was a slower, deeper kiss, passionate... His abnormally long tongue played with the hole where 2D’s teeth should be.

Although the two were willing to go forward they couldn’t cuz of the injured 2D’s leg. They had dinner together and put another movie to run, a zombie one this time. The nurse came to say that the next morning they would be allowed to return home. And put some more medicine in his veins.

“Home”, 2D shivered at this word. There was no "home," there was Plastic Beach, and his smile for finally being able to leave the hospital soon dissipated when he realized that fact. He didn’t even want to think about going back to be a prisioner with that damn whale near him day and night. But above all of that he didn’t want to be alone again, not after everything that had happened between them. He was silent and crestfallen after the woman had left the room.

"Oi, Face Ache? Tomorrow we'll be free! "He said throwing his arms up in celebration, laughing, showing all his sharp teeth ..." Whot’s the matta now, D ..? "

"Nothing..."

"Whot yew mean nothing...? Yer bloody voice is back and yew can leave here, whot more do yew want ..? "

"I don’t want t’ go back t’ tha’ sodding whale .... And I don’t wan’ t’ be alone ..." He lowered his head and shrugged, his fingers twitching nervously. He thought he was going to get hit because he complaining for something so silly, that Murdoc surely wouldn’t have the patience to deal with.

"Hey Dullard ... Who the ‘ell said yer're going t’ be alone ...?" He laid a hand on his singer’s hair, bluer than the sky. "When we ge’ back t’ Plastic Beach yew're staying with me in my room, mate." He didn’t want to make it sound sexual, but we're talking about Murdoc Niccals everyone. "And let's re-record the album, right? I mean ... Yew're no’ my prisoner anymore ... If yew wan’, you can ... "

"I would luv t’!" Now a smile showing all, or almost every, teeth. The bassist let out a hoarse grunt, typical "strange Mudoc’s noise." And offered the singer his long-nailed hand. Stu stared blankly.

"Take a picture, mate, it lasts longer ..." 2D still doens’t understand. "Hollow head, yew ‘ave to bathe. I was waiting fer yew t’ wake up so I could ‘elp yew.. "

The older man was offering his hand so the singer could lean on the toilet. He was slowly leaning on the bassist; in fact Murdoc put his upper arm on his shoulders so 2D could use him as a crutch not stepping on the floor with his injured leg. The wound burned like a bitch.

He took off his singer’s clothes gently so he wouldn’t get more hurt. Whatever the boy had, his recovery was faster than normal. Naked, he tried to hide his skinny body with his arms, uselessly.

"There is nothing there tha’ I haven’t seen or touched, Face Ache."

"Whot?" He turned red "I ... Damn ... I'm jus’ cold ..."

 

He shoved 2D under the hot water without hesitation. Murdoc also got wet because he was serving as a human crutch. The Satanist washed his hair, his back, his arms, as he leaned in the wall not to support his leg. Stu felt a little ridiculous that he could do almost nothing, and the pain was bothering him a lot. Murdoc's touch when it wasn’t to hurt became divine ... made him shortly forget his problems. The bath went uninterruptedly, the bassist thinking about how much still he would have to help his singer until he could be alone. And that their closeness was not that awkward.

He let 2D dry himself and put on a shirt. In a hurry Murdoc had only taken his clothes, so both T-shirt and pants were short on the singer, showing his shins and a piece of his belly. The green man after crashing into laughter, that left the singer embarrassed, apologized for having forgotten. He placed his inverted cross on the neck of 2D. And combed his hair improvising a blue stripe.

"Voi la, a gigantism version o’ me"

"Haha Muds, very funny ... At least this version knows how to sing properly ..."

Murdoc became pissed.

 

Eventually, they ended up getting tired and sleeping very late. They just exchanged a few more kisses and shared the bed. They knew they were together and that they didn’t need no more words to that. The Satanist, after seeing that 2D had fallen asleep, thanked him softly. Received an "Yew’re welcome, Muds" in return. He wasn’t sleeping again.

 


	8. Voice

Dawn. Incredibly, they both managed to share a hospital bed. They woke when both heard the door open. Having drunk the night before, Murdoc was only a little hung over, so he didn’t even bother to stay where he were while talking to the nurse. It wasn’t because of laziness, but he was no longer embarrassed to see that he was with 2D. Hiding would be useless.

She asked Murdoc to pay the bills and made the last 2D medications. Good thing that he would wake up without pain at least. The bassist got up carefully so as not to wake him, Stu looked even more angelic when he slept. He smiled and went to pay what he owed. The Green man had even asked to deliver the wheelchair that morning in the hospital for him so he had to receive.

Meanwhile, in the room, the singer gradually returned to himself. Everything that had happened seemed like a distant dream. What Murdoc had said, the kiss ... He put his fingers gently over his lips, Stu was sure it had happened, but if it was still a dream he didn’t want to wake up. The older one entered the room with the chair.

 

"’Day, Face Ache, time t’ go." He crouched one corner of his mouth in a half-smile.

2D saw the wheelchair and didn’t even believe he had taken care of arranging one for him. He smiled openly and nodded. He was out of the sodding hospital, and wasn’t going out alone as he thought he’d.

 

The sun bothered his eyes and warmed his skin it was a beautiful day, almost no cloud in the sky. Murdoc hadn’t complained or called him names yet, so it meant he was in a good mood. They took a taxi to the pier, on the way the bassist ordered the cyborg to get them again on the submarine.

So it was done, in minutes they were back in Plastic Beach. Almost no word was exchanged between them, but 2D noticed that the older man wasn’t annoyed or pissed as usual, he was neutral with everything that had happened, and he didn’t want to bother talking about last night or anything. It wasn’t quite the time for a discuss, despite being slightly annoyed and feeling hurt.

He managed not to play a ridiculous role crying, but he was the one who wanted to, even imagining that Murdoc was not the type that "called the morning after." Now that his voice had returned, he needed the singer again for that reason. He glanced at the other, admiring how much he was being taken care of and enjoying the closeness between the two of them even in silence. He had become so accustomed to being speechless that he sometimes forgot that he had his voice back.

This was another thing that intrigued 2D. What did he do to get the voice back? Just asking the ghost itself to know ... But he had a guess. The curse was broken by the time Murdoc admited what he really felt. The first thing he answered was that the reciprocal was true. Was that a sign that he really meant it when he said he loved him? Muds remained a difficult and often very closed man to deal with. And the fear of doing something wrong that pissed him was still there by reflex.

 

"Here we are again D, junk sweet ... home"

"Can we go now Muds ...? Tha’ bloody whale is lurkin’ around ... I don’t wan’ ‘er t’ see us, yanno? "

"Calm your arse down, Face Ache, no one is goin’ t’ do anything with yew ‘ere. I won’t le’ it. "

2D flushed with the bassist's choice of words.

"Well, whot d’ yew wan’ t’ do first, Bluebird?"

Murdoc was a really verbal person, but those sweet words that insisted on escape were still new.

"Well, I really wanted t’ record ..." His black eyes gleamed. Stu was actually tired and in pain, but he knew that continuing the album would make the older man happy.

"O’ the things I imagined yew would want t’ do this wasn’t one o’ them ... Well, go up t’ the studio and feel a’ ‘ome. I'll ge’ yer stuff downstairs t’ take t’ my room.

"Don’t worry abou’ I’ Muds ... I can do I’ myself lata ..." Stu really didn’t want to be a bigger weight than he already was.

"In a bloody wheelchair? No way, mate tha’ would take foreva and I don’t ‘ave all this time. "

2D didn’t argue anymore and went to the studio. Meanwhile Murdoc came down alone, didn’t even bother asking the cyborg to do this. The singer had few belongings, in two trips managed to take everything up. By picking up some of his T-shirts he could smell his distinctive scent of cigarettes and mints. The bassist knew that the clothes he had lend him would smell the same way ... He was sure that he had fallen in love with this too.

He found some drawings too, probably from the hours that Stu was very bored. Some were curious, like his being devoured by the whale ... But crumpled and almost torn was a forgotten draw ... Is it you? It was very badly finished as if it were a draft, at the end written "Bastard Bassplayer M. Niccals." He chuckled seeing how the singer saw him, and his ability to draw. He was really a talented guy. The Satanist took his pills and put them in his pocket, would again minister them as he was doing before. At last he also found a bottle of rum, which at one of the times he had been in Stu’s room  he had forgotten, was half full so he started to drink.

He walked into the studio, taking a jumper to the blue-haired boy, his was short on it and it was very cold. Murdoc was already smiling, thinking about which song they’d record. Before he actually enter the room he could hear the voice if his Songbird, singing softly, as if Stu were whispering ... He followed to the origin of the sound and closer he realized that the lyrics were being interrupted by sobs, and his voice seemed to be more and more embargoed… The bassist could barely understand the words ...

He came near the door to hear well. He smelled the cigarette. 2D was cowering on the buttons on the sound table, smoking and silently crying. Murdoc stood by the door admiring him. He didn’t want to feel like a sadist, but his singer looked gorgeous with watery eyes, his deep black eyes took on a different glow. And the way he always put the cigarette in the corner of his mouth ‘cuz he couldn’t put it in front of because of his lack of teeth, was charming from a certain point of view. The singer gave a long drag on the cigarette and took a moment alone to pour out what he couldn’t do the night before when he wanted to be emotionally capable of something. Capable? He couldn’t even tie his shoelaces alone, who could say keep himself emotionally stable.

Stu, besides having been hurt that the older man hadn’t said anything about the night before, was also afraid that soon it would all be over, and Plastic Beach's memories came like bricks falling on his head as he stepped out of the submarine. What the singer had lived there before the curse wasn’t a good thing to remember. Murdoc was very abusive to him, always discounting his anger at 2D when he drank too much, shouting and cursing at every song he sing something wrong, and often punching him when he grew tired of using his words to hurt. The one who was being so solicitous and pleasant didn’t even look like the man who had made him a prisoner for some time.

He also knew that it was much easier for Murdoc to go back on everything he did and said, because he was so incoherent in everything and never finished anything. Maybe fear would make him quit. That it might be easier for him to be interested in someone younger, prettier or better than him, less stupid and full of psychological disturbances. Fear of rejection combined with anxiety made Stu-pot an easy target for a mental breakdown. For the moment the buttons only amused him, sobbing and playing with the cigarette between his long, awkward fingers.

 

"Hey, Stu ..."

Murdoc stepped into the studio unceremoniously. 2D almost dropped the cigarette from his mouth and quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeves to keep him from seeing him crying.

"Muds, I thought yew would take longa ..." He forced a smile. "Shall we record? Whot song comes now ..? I fink yew're going t’ ‘ave t’ lower the microphone fer the height I ge’ when I'm sittin’ and ... "

"We won’t record anything, Face Ache ... No’ until yew tell me whot’s ‘appenin’. Why were yew cryin’?" He crossed his arms resting the bottle and shirt on the sound table.

"I wasn’t cryin’ Muds… I’ was nofing, I fink the ‘ospital made me sick ..." He nudged his tongue out. "And my leg is ‘urting like a bitch... Bu’ ... Bu’ that's all, don’t worry mate..."

Murdoc snorted.

"Yew deceived me twice when yew pretended t’ be asleep. Bu’ yew still suck a’ lyin’ D "

2D sighed.

"Whot ... whot are we Muds ..? I mean ... Is I’ so wrong whot we are ... whot ‘ave we done ...? "

"I dunno, Dents. Bu’ I think the shi’ I did all my loife was wrong. Especially with yew. ‘ow much I've hur’ yew ... Now am I wrong t’ ... love someone ...? I think it's too much fer me. " He let out a low, hoarse laugh. "And since yew asked, I think we're a couple. At leas’ fer me, Face Ache. There is wrong, right and everything else. If yew ‘ave forgiven me, the pas’ is in the pas’, and we will try from now on. "

Murdoc made things sound so natural and obvious when he wanted to.

"So everyfing tha’ ‘appened ... really ...?"

"Earth t’ 2D ..." He slapped his forehead. "Yes this ‘appened or was i’ another stranger with blue spiky ‘air and fractured eyes who took a shot that I was taking care of yesterday ... If I’ was that I made a hideous mistake, sorry mate, I think I brought yew t’ an island ... And yew were the wrong guy. Really sorry"

2D laughed. Then it was true. Murdoc tossed him the jumper. He dropped the cigarette and decided to record "On a Melancholy Hill." It had a sweet melody and the lyrics just as well. It matched what they were living.

 

_Up on melancholy hill_

_There's a plastic tree_

_Are you here with me_

_Just looking out on the day_

_Of another dream_

_Well you can't get what you want_

_But you can get me_

_So let's set out to sea_

_'Cause you are my medicine_

_When you're close to me_

_When you're close to me_

 

 

Each verse 2D smiled and the older man drank some sips, only appreciating how much his singing voice was angelic, smirking. Stu was truly happy. Murdoc was "his medicine" after all. At the end of the song Murdoc came and crouched until he was as tall as the singer. Stu thought he was going to complain or beat him because his voice was still hoarse from crying.

"It wasn’t good, right Muds ..? Sorry I can try again and ... "

Murdoc silenced him with a kiss.

"Thank you for singin’ to me, Bluebird."

The older man stood up.

"If yew want t’ take a break, that's okay. I ‘ave to edit the recording and yew have t’ eat something, yew naughty skinny man. "

Stu, when leaving, wanted to play with his wheelchair, he was happy and his head still didn’t work properly ‘cuz of the painkillers. In fact, it didn’t really work anyway. As always very genially the younger man didn’t calculate right, the chair turned and he fell on his back and banged his head violently. Before even leaving, the bassist heard the dry noise of something hitting the floor and a muffled cry. Murdoc couldn’t believe he'd done that. He snorted angrily and ran his hands over his face.

 

"Are yew bloody trying t’ kill yerrself?" He asked almost screaming.

"Sorry Muds ..." His mind was still spinning and he was processing what had happened, putting his shaking hands over his head.

Murdoc breathed in and thought to himself if he had really made a good choice by staying with someone like 2D. He was a child very often and needed supervision. He lifted the chair off the floor, helped him, and examined whether he had cut his head in the fall. No, but surely that would make a huge cock.

To be able to get up, Stu wrapped both arms around the neck of the lower one and rested one of his legs, keeping the injured one always stretched out without touching the ground. The proximity between the bodies soon became very inviting, since they hadn’t touched each other since the hospital. The taller one was red and dangerously close to the bass player. His hips clung to his.

 

In a lapse of thought he grabbed both 2D legs and placed them on his lap at once, lifting him off the floor.

 

"Muds whot ...?"

"We're no’ goin’ t’ need the sodding chair fer now. Jus’ hug me, D. No questions."

Although 2D was tall he was lightweight. So despite the clumsy position the singer did as he was asked, afraid of where he would be taken. Stu just rested his head on the fold of Murdoc's neck and accepted to be carried. He smelled the Satanist’s  scent, alcohol and cigarettes ... The pain grew smaller with him around.

 


	9. Epilogue

Still with 2D in his lap the eldest went to his room, which the singer hadn’t been yes and only in his most dirty fantasies imagined to enter the “Master’s” room.

"Where are we goin’ ..?"

"I said no questions, Face Ache."

He had been instructed not to question, but the green man didn’t say anything about being kissed. The singer silently touched his lips to the crook of Murdoc's neck, not knowing how sensitive he was there. Fearful he left a slight bite there, not strong enough to mark, but it managed to take an almost inaudible sigh from Murdoc, followed by a squeeze on his legs.

"Fank yew, Muds ..."

The older man grunted as he entered his room with 2D in his arms. The place smelled like alcohol, cigarettes, wood, and something that remind him of Murdoc. It wasn’t as dirty as the singer imagined it to be, maybe the cyborg would clean it up periodically. It was much larger and more spacious than the place where he was being held captive. The bassist bent down and laid him on his bed. 2D let out a low groan of pain.

"Yew mus’ ‘ave a very ‘ard ‘ead t’ take so much ‘its ... Take" He gave him his painkillers. "Maybe that'll make yew betta."

"Sorry." He swallowed them dryly.

"Yew should also stop sayin’ too many excuses, Dents. It was an accident." Murdoc took another bottle that was already on his bedside table, taking a long sip of it. " Even so yew doin’ these things seems like yew wan’ t’ test ‘ow far can my patience go. And yew know it’s short. "

 

2D for a moment dared to take the bottle from the old man's hand and take a long sip. The bassist stared in disbelief, Stu was a hollow head but didn’t mix when he took his pills. It sounded like an invitation. When the younger man dared to put the bottle back in his mouth, he glanced sideways at Murdoc who had a few friends' face already.

"Give i’ back."

"Whot if I don’t wan’ t’?" He lifted the bottle as he sat on the bed as high as he could, and took advantage of the size of his arms. "Are yew going’ t’ ‘it me?"

"Nah, I'll do worse."

Murdoc climbed over 2D that was propped up against the wall not just taking the bottle back as if approaching dangerously from his ear and grabbing his waist bone with nails clinging to the singer's skin.

"I'll make yew beg me no’ t’ stop, my blue angel." He licked the earlobe of the younger one drawing more sighs. He in the reflex joined his legs in front of the body and closed his eyes, as if he wanted to block the approach. Stu was still unconsciously afraid when it came to the older man's approach.

"Oh come on, Bluebird, this is nothin’ yew don’t already know, I won’t bite, unless yew wan’ me t’ ..."

Murdoc could sound extremely sexy when he wanted to. He stuck his mouth into a needy and unkind kiss, biting his bottom lip and wrapping his long-nailed fingers into her singer's spiky blue hair, deepening the kiss and being careful not to touch where he had hit. He was immediately kissed back with two long-fingered hands, quick to grab the bass player by the neck.

"If yew're a good boy, I'll soon make yew forge’ tha’ yew've ‘urt yerself ..." The younger one didn’t remember either of his pains, so much was his ecstasy. It wasn’t anything like it was the time they tried to do something like this to reverse the curse. This time 2D could scream, and it was better not to hold back.

"Muds ..." The older man was already biting and leaving 2D’s neck hickeys.

"Whot’s the matta my Songbird ...?"

"I ... I wan’ yew .. inside me… I promise I'll be good ..."

A grunt of satisfaction ... He was once again on top as he liked to be. "So spread yer legs fer me, luv ..."

He undid the barrier by being careful of the bruise. Soon Murdoc was in the middle of his legs. Soon they took off both shirts. The Satanist had to remove 2D’s pants because otherwise he would end up making mess with the bandages. The painkillers were slowly starting to work and he already felt dizzy and numb. The older man's touch made him shudder. Even in this situation he was still aware of everything he did and felt, even more sensitive.

The kisses and caresses intensified as they both lay down on the bed. 2D was being touched, scratched, bitten and tight as the older man wanted, he certainly had more experience in what he was doing.

"Now ... I don’t wan’ yew holdin’ on, go’ i’? Only I can ‘ear yew, luv ... And yew moan like yew sing ... Like a bloody angel ....”

2D just groaned, couldn’t formulate a complete sentence when Murdoc traced a thin line of saliva from his neck down to the height of his waist. He looked down and saw the bassist with the most demonic and lusty smile he had ever seen, showing all his sharp teeth and his tongue almost all out, denouncing what he planned to do next. With that 2D vision turned redder than a tomato, he knew that was enough to make him cum.

With an uncharacteristic patience, the Satanist removed his underwear. It began a slow and deft up and down, as if it were the last blowjob 2D would receive. The singer moaned loud as ordered. Murdoc mercilessly nailed the younger's thighs, knew they would leave marks, but the more he squeezed, the more Stu sighed. Bite the inner thighs and his groin. Of course he avoided the place where the injury was, but Stu by then didn’t care anymore.

Between disjointed words, moans, "Muds please ..." and even some cussing, Stu warned that he was near if the bassist continued to play with his tongue as he was. Excellent, except Murdoc had other plans. He took the reverse way until his eyes met the black, blurry immensity of her singer’s ones. With one hand on either side of Stu's head he noticed how gorgeous he was, sighing, his cheeks pink and sweaty. He could swear that there were tears in the corner of his eyes. He really was an angel, his angel.

"Sweet Satan yew look gorgeous as ‘ell like this, luv… Stretch yer left ‘and and open the first drawer, take what's inside i’, D."

He did as ordered, almost knocking over the lube.

"Yew’re being a good boy ... Now yew're going t’ pass me and yew, my blue ‘aired angel." He drew closer to his ear, causing a new wave of shivers "And I wan’ t’ ‘ear yew beggin’ me t’ fuck yew, my songbird"

Once again 2D managed to cum right there. He swallowed and obeyed. He passed a generous portion on the already throbbing erection of his partner, this time making him sighs, which were cut by one more kiss, now the singer's initiative, followed by another toothless smile and a touch on his face. For Satan’s sake, how _beautiful._ He had many quirks, but it was undeniably beautiful. He also lurched around trying to uselessly relax to make it easier ...

Murdoc gently lifted it up as much as he could, both legs of the singer and put them on his shoulders. It was a funny position because of the disproportion between the two, 2D looked like he was just legs. When they had done it in a desperate way before and they didn’t reach that end, 2D had already cum once with the help of the bassist's hand and it hadn’t worked, so they didn’t even go forward. This was a first time.

"There’s-  ah- .. no way t’ come back, are yew sure Stuart ..?" Murdoc looked directly into the young man's half-open eyes, a delirious gaze of pleasure and shining in expectation. He never needed to ask any of the birds who were with him or the blokes. They were all experienced or used to, but with Stu he knew he had to be a little more careful. It wouldn’t hurt to treat him with some affection, though his lower belly was already hurting needing relief.

"Muds I .... I luv ... yew" 2D said without reasoning.

Murdoc became static. These words never any of the people he had taken to bed had uttered, not even a lie. Instead of squirming, he got even harder ... The bassist just opened his eyes wide and half opened his mouth, Stu thought he was mad that he had spoken without thinking. Why can’t her ever keep his goddamn mouth shut, Pot?

"Umm ... I'm sorry Muds ... I didn’t say tha’ on purpose ... I’ escaped ... I’ didn’t mean t’, I swear ...". The singer even raised his voice in some octaves in the despair of doing something wrong, until his leg and head began to ache again momentarily as the adrenaline filled his veins. Blood pulsed at his temples and his heart was racing. Even the color faded from his face. He was able to say these things in an impressive ease, and the Satanist wasn’t accustomed to such gratuitous displays of affection. But he was saying ‘cuz he really wanted to hear it. He thought he could make the older man happy by saying. Stuart always thinks that everything is so easy, making others happy was something simple ..

Murdoc blinked three times, processing what he had heard. His hands were close to his own chest, Stu didn’t dare touch him. He faced the younger looking in his face for some trace of falsehood. He found none, but instead two arched eyebrows, a quivering lip, fear and despair were almost palpable in his beloved singer. And if you have a place you shouldn’t feel such emotions is when you are about to lose your virginity. He wasn’t angry at all, he just wasn’t ready for hearing it. He had always had sex or taken advantage of anyone who fell into his net. Cum deposits, he’d say. With 2D it was different, it was not just carnal.

"Say ... Say tha’ again, Stuart ..."

"I ..." He couldn’t, 2D was afraid. The corner of his big black eyes gathering tears.

"Don’t be afraid o’ me ... I'm no’ mad a’ yew ... ‘s jus’, yew were the first one who told me these words ..."

Murdoc bent down tothe fold of 2D's neck. "Say it again, please, my Songbird..."

"I luv yew, Mu'doc ..." He hugged his legs to the bassist's torso. "I always luved yew ... Now… Fuck me ... Please ..."

He wasn’t used to hear his whole name, and such a needy thing being begged in a bloody sweet voice. His erection throbbed again as he felt such words spoken so close to him. He smiled wickedly, and bit his neck. Stuart hugged him as the bassist slid his full length into the singer. It was undeniable that he was way better than any bird he had ever laid. Murdoc let out a sigh of satisfaction as his tattoo of the seven sins was marked by 2D's short fingernails, which moaned his name and clutched himself ever more tightly as a surge of pleasure invaded him.

"Yew're mine, Stuart Pot." And the bassist began to move a torturous back and forth as the taller one got used to the sensation. Soon Murdoc reached his sweet spot as he increased speed and strength in his movements ... At this moment all that could be heard in the room were noises of crashing bodies, muffled groans, some cursing and clumsy sloppy kisses full of desire.

Soon the whole environment was filled with the scent of sex and the ads they were about. 2D couldn’t stand it when he was touched without warning by Murdoc, cumming and releasing a squeakier scream at the climax. With a few more thrusts the older one also cum. They lay side by side, panting and with smiles on their faces. It was a memorable sex, even more than that, they had made love.

"Oi Muds, yew were righ’ .... I completely forgo’ the pain ..."

"I'm always righ’, Face Ache..." And a low chuckle.

They lay down and covered each other, lighting a cigarette. But the moments of rest were short. The door to the room was broken into by an already known green light and a sinister cold wind coming out of nowhere. Stu knew what it was about ... But he still dropped the cigarette by making a hole in the bed. The entity had come back and got hold of the body of the cyborg, a very efficient receptacle for paranormal activity, isn’t it?

"Whot the bloody ‘ell?" Murdoc barked, Stu was still too frightened to react, hid behind the sheets, bumping into the place where he dropped the cigarette butt to extinguish.

"You have succeeded in breaking the curse ... I am impressed."

"Did yew come t’ congratulate us?"

"Precisely. You two are souls bound together for eternity. There have been past lives in which you were tested on what you felt, since you were destined to remain together. But every time you both failed to achieve the goal. You "pointed to Stu who screamed and hid behind Murdoc. "And you" He pointed to the bassist who barely clenched his teeth and fists. "Eventually after thousands of stocks you finally managed to unite. Remember, you need to be together. "

"Or whot?"

"I'll be back." The robot gave a not very friendly smile.

Suddenly the atmosphere returned to the original darkness with the green light disappearing. The two looked at each other, still disbelieving at what had happened. The cyborg regained consciousness by returning to its normal expressionlessness.

Murdoc didn’t bother with the fact that he was still naked he got up and cashed everything that had happened on the fake Noodle.

"Yew don’t ... aren’t the Noodle ... No ... I dunno why .... I created yew .... yer good-fer-nothing… piece of… rubbish" Each pause was a blow. At that moment the blue-haired boy again became afraid of this other side of the bassist ... But if the entity had used the robot to materialize, by destroying it, he guaranteed that she wouldn’t return.

When he had finished and was satisfied with the wreckage that was twisted on the floor, he turned his attention to the figure huddled on the bed, still frightened by everything.

 

"Sorry Dents. But yew're righ’ ... Noodle is somewhere ou’ there ... We’ll find her soona or latar. Or we'll ‘ave t’ deal with the fact that she's gone ... But no sodding robo’ will EvA be able t’ replace her. "

Stuart breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever had taken possession of that piece of metal, he got his message done. The young singer just needed it to be true, and if he depended on him, he would act every day. Until he found himself back with the rest of the band, or whatever fate reserved for them both. If he could start over with Murdoc the rest was detail. Even if things crazy and senseless like that had to happen, he didn’t want the ghost to visit them anymore, it was more frightening than whales. He'd be prepared, he'd been born with a few bolts at least. He smiled without teeth.

"And ..." Murdoc put his hand over his blue hair, messing them up. "I love you too, Stuart."

And what happens in Plastic Beach, stays is in Plastic Beach.

 


End file.
